Pakistan restricted Zimbabwe for 205 in their first game of the three-match ODI series on Sunday. National side spinners — vice captain Salman Ali Agha and debutant Faisal Akram — destroyed Zimbabwe batting lineup for a modest total. Both took three wickets apiece.
Aamir Jamal (42/1) and Mohammad Hasnain (43/1) turned out to be the most expensive bowlers for the Green Shirts.
Zimbabwe’s Joylord Gumbie (15) got run out in sixth over, then his successor Dion Myers (8) was caught off Agha in 10th.
Tadiwanashe Marumani made (29 off 44) before departing on Agha’s ball. Captain Craig Ervine (6 off 12) failed to impress with the bat as Saim Ayub caught him off Haris Rauf.
Then Brandon Mavuta (1) was routed by Jamal and Brian Bennett (20) by Faisal.
Lower middle order batsman Sikandar Raza (39 off 56) and tail-ender Richard Ngarava (48 off 52) put up modest resistance before Pakistan concluded the innings with opponents’ all out.
Earlier, Pakistan won the toss and opted to bowl first.
This is Green Shirts’ second ODI series this month after they beat Australia 2-1 in a historic achievement down under earlier this month.
In the 15-member squad, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi have been replaced with uncapped duo of Abrar Ahmed and Ahmed Daniyal along with pacer Shahnawaz Dahani and Tayyab Tahir.
Pakistan and Zimbabwe last faced each other in the 50-over format in November 2020 in Rawalpindi where the national side beat the visitors 2-1.
Pakistan, on their last visit to Zimbabwe whitewashed the Chevrons in a five-match ODI series in July 2018.
The ODI series will be followed by a three-match T20Is at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
Pakistan squad: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Ahmed Daniyal, Faisal Akram, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Salman Ali Agha (vice-captain), Shahnawaz Dahani, Saim Ayub, and Tayyab Tahir
Zimbabwe squad: Craig Ervine (captain), Brian Bennett, Blessing Muzarabani, Brandon Mavuta, Clive Madande, Dion Myers, Faraz Akram, Joylord Gumbie, Richard Ngarava, Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Tashinga Musekiwa, Tinotenda Maposa and Trevor Gwandu.
